The Lost Boys
by Hermione Eveningfall
Summary: What if Ralph and the other boys were never rescued from the island as happened at the end of the book? What if a dangerous accident caused the boys to reunite, tossing them headfirst into yet another unexpected adventure?
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Lost Boys

Author: Hermione Eveningfall

Fandom: Lord of the Flies/Gilligan's Island crossover

Rating: PG (mainly for medical detail and occasional language)

Summary: What if Ralph and the other boys were never rescued from the island as happened at the end of the book? What if a dangerous accident caused the boys to reunite, tossing them headfirst into yet another unexpected adventure?

Chapter 1

"_Kill the beast! Slit it's throat! Smash her in!_"

Ralph felt as though he'd been running forever. His lungs burned from the billowing smoke, and his eyes watered--but he couldn't let that stop him. He tripped over rocks that stuck up from the ground, scraping his knee. When the voices didn't seem so close, he took refuse from behind one of the bushes, peering down at his wound, which bled freely. Cursing under his breath, he touched the wound with his thumb, attempting to use pressure to stop the blood from flowing.

How had it come to this? he thought, as he listened to the crackling of burning underbrush. He only wanted the best for the others, and how did they thank him for it?

Ralph wished he had something to drink, scolding himself for not stopping to take a mouthful at a stream he'd passed in a panic merely ten minutes before. Of course, timing was everything...he could't risk stopping for very long, or they would surely find him.

Once the he managed to ease the bleeding and catch his breath, Ralph pushed himself up, limping a little, and picked his way through the foilage. He was one of the few who wore the remains of a tattered shirt on his back, refusing to take it off. He didn't want to associate himself with them...these now faceless savages who killed two of his best friends, leaving him alone and terrified. The deaths of Simon and Piggy brought Ralph to the realization that he'd lost; lost badly to a game he so desparately tried to learn to play. When he saw the painted bodies of Samneric, the twins who sided with him until Roger smashed Piggy's skull with a boulder, he felt the world collapsing from under him.

He found a clearing with a nest of palm trees, and shielded his eyes from the glare of the late evening haze. Even in the pending darkness, the heat was thick, and the fabric stuck uncomfortably to his skin. Judging from the movement of the clouds, he knew it would rain later that night, which would help put out the ever growing fire. Until that time, Ralph decided the only chance he had for survival of this day, was to climb one of the palm trees and use that for shelter until the hunters decided to give up.

The height was dizzying, but Ralph climbed tons of trees at home and school, so was used to it. He gripped the broken bark with his fingernails, gritting his teeth as he found footing on whatever spot he could catch onto. His muscles screamed in protest as he hoisted himself up higher and higher, and he could hear the sound of the chant in the distance, hoping they wouldn't come too close too soon. He managed to make it to a comfortable branch, a cluster of coconuts blocking him from view, and he watched as the tribe made their way through the dense forest. Jack was unmistakable, with his face so tan it was almost black, mixed with red and white paint. His light red hair stuck out from underneath leaf-created cap, curling wildly about his face. He was the largest of the group, his spear raised as he searched every nook and cranny of the island.

Ralph couldn't believe just a few days before, he'd been a respectable leader of a choir group, determined to make their small civiliation on the island run as smoothly as their classes at school. He'd been disappointed at the choice of chief, but used his choir to form a group of hunters and fire watchers. It wasn't until the arrival of the hideous beast, that he began to crumble, feeling Ralph wasn't a worthwhile leader.

"_He's just giving orders, expecting people to obey for nothing! He's like Piggy, he says things like Piggy! He's a coward...on top, when Roger and me went on he went back..._"

Ralph swallowed as he watched them stop for a moment, gathering in a circle to come up with a new plan of action. He had to admit, the idea of hiding in a palm tree was pretty clever on his part. Never would they think to look up here...he grinned, folding his arms across his chest, using his legs to steady himself on the branch. Temptation to throw one of the heavy coconuts onto his intruders came into his mind, but he couldn't risk revealing himself.

Instead, he tried to listen in on their conversation, his ears pricking. It was difficult to distinguist human voices from the loud sound of the fire snapping twigs and branches from tress a couple hundred feet away.

"I think we should go back...going to be getting dark soon..."

"He's still out there...we'll never sleep if..."

"But I'm tired, chief, and thirsty..."

"Besides, if we start back now, we'll still have daylight to go by."

"Going to rain..."

Ralph grinned with pleasure at the fear in their voices, knowing Simon was right after all...there was no beast. At least, no physical beast...it was all in their minds. The unknown bothered them the most; there were definitely parts of the island they hadn't covered in their searches, darker, thicker parts.

Below on the ground, Jack glanced at his tribe, barely able to recognize their facial features in the dimming light.

"Is everybody in agreement?" he asked, not needing to see Roger's expression to know he didn't. He knew his second in command would want to keep going as long as he did, as long as the beast's lifeless body ended up in their grasp.

There was a collective murmer of voices in response, and Jack glanced towards the sky. The smoke was very thick now, and there was a good chance the ferocity of the fire would give the beast nowhere to go except the beach for safety.

"All right, then," he replied. "We'll start heading back for the Castle Rock, but we'll have to start back out again as soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning."

Roger let out a small noise of irritation, lowering his spear, and Jack gave him a half smile.

"You won't do us any good dropping from exhaustion," he said, for his could tell when his friend was ready for bed. He'd known Roger for years at school, taking the younger boy under his wing when he first arrived. Ever since he convinced Roger to join the boy's choir, they became inseperable.

"Fine," Roger growled. "but just letting you know, I could keep going, chief."

Jack nodded. "I know, but it's not safe to be out here alone in the dark. We have to travel in a pack...that way it's less likely the beast will attack us unexpectedly."

Morris stepped forward, raising his hand, and Jack glanced at him. "We'll have to keep some of us posted outside as look outs again, right?" he asked, and Jack turned to the twins, who stood quietly in the back of the group, very close to each other. They didn't say much, for their guilt at having left Ralph in such a position by himself still filled their heads.

"Yes...the twins'll do that. Come on, you lot...let's start for the beach before..."

A crash of thunder rumbled in the distance, and Jack ordered them at once to move out of the jungle, leaving it in an eerie silence.

Ralph continued to sit watching them disappear through the mass of bushes and underbrush, shivering as a cool breeze ruffled his thick hair. With a storm approaching, he couldn't be high up in a tree...he had to search for a cave of sorts to use for shelter, and also to possibly sleep in if the conditions were suitable. When he was certain they were far enough away, he climbed back down, tiptoeing in the opposite direction. He managed to find a cave about a mile from the clearing, thankful because the cave was connected to a fountain, with fresh water bubbling over rocks and underground plants.

He drank greedily from the pond, splashing the cool water over his face, and watched as a flash of lightening struck through the sky. He made it into the mouth of the cave just as the heavens opened up, revealing ghusts of blinding rain. Blinking a little, Ralph backed into the darkness of his new quarters, letting out a yell of surprise when a bat flew past his ear. He covered his head with his arms, still shaking a little, and curled against the rough wall, wishing desparately to be under his stiff dormitory sheets again. It took a good while before he was able to relax enough to fall asleep, and even when he did, his mind was plagued with nightmares.

_Please let us get out of this, _he thought, listening as the wind howled viciously. _I dunno what I did to deserve any of this, but I sure as ever regret it. _

Jack brought the tribe back to the caves of Castle Rock, his body aching from the long hike. They were soaked by the time they crowded inside, fighting over any inch of space they could find for sleep. Roger sat down beside him, not releasing his spear until Jack removed his fingers from it by force. "Dunno how much sleep we're going to get with that...thing lurking about," Roger grumbled as he lay down at last, staring up at the darkend ceiling. He could see the sillouhettes of Samneric as they stood at the entrance, keeping an eye on any suspicious activity from outside.

Jack chose not to answer the comment, and attempted to block the noise of the other boy's snoring away or whispering to each other. "G'night, then," he grunted, turning over on his side, and drifted into a restless doze.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ralph tossed and turned all night, the floor of the cave too uncomfortable. He awoke to the early rays of sunlight streaming through the entrance of the cave, and it took a couple of seconds before he could comprehend his whereabouts. He gasped in pain as he struggled to sit, and clutched at his back desparately. After giving a great yawn he stood and stumbled into the open, grateful to see the rain had stopped. However, the sky was overcast, and the humidity seemed thicker than ever.

He felt his stomach growling, and decided to go on a hunt for breakfast. Crouching first by a nearby stream, he cupped his hands together and began to sip from the cold water, and used more to splash on his face. After blinking the drops away, he took a closer look around the island. Many of the trees were scorched, smoke still ocassionally billowing in the distance. He wondered if it was worth even searching for fresh fruit, considering most of it probably burned away.

So far the only noises he could detect in jungle were wild bird cries, monkeys screeching, and the buzzing of multiple tropical insects.

When his stomach gave a loud rumble, he clutched at it desparately, knowing the search for food would at least keep him from going crazy.

Meanwhile, the night had been endless for the group of hunters at Castle Rock. Jack tossed and turned, not noticing the snake slithering in his direction. When he felt a sharp pain stab his left ankle, he let out a cry that startled Roger out of his own doze.

"Whassat?" he croaked, and Jack struggled to sit, seeing the tail of the snake slithering away at almost lightening speed.

"Roger, I've been bitten!" the pain in his ankle was excruciating, and starting to feel a bit numb.

"I'm up, I'm up, blimey!" Roger groaned, and grabbed Jack's hands, forcing him backwards. "Calm down, mate, panicking won't help you. Did you see what kind of a snake it was?"

Jack shook his head. "I just caught the tail as it was going away, and it's took dark in here. But my ankle's going numb. You have to find something to tie it tight with to stop the venom...Roger, go!"

"Out there alone?" Roger breathed; the idea of trecking into the jungle alone when there was a monster on the loose absolutely did not tickle his fancy in the least.

"Take one of the others with you, but don't waste any time," Jack croaked, and Roger grabbed Bill who was sleeping closest, and the two boys rushed out of the cave. Samneric had no chance to ask what was going on when they brushed past them, and stared at each other.

"I think we missed something," Sam whispered to his brother, and Eric gave a nod, fingering the top of his spear.

Roger had never run so fast in his life as they went to find pieces of vine to use as a turnoiquit.

"What happened to 'im?" Bill breathed as he paused to clutch at a stitch in his side.

"Snake bite," Roger replied, tearing pieces of vine from a nearby bush. Unfortunately, Ralph happened to be picking fruit on the other side, and cried out when he saw a hand reaching towards him.

Bill yelled as well at the sudden shout, and he nearly stumbled over Roger in the attempt to get away from whatever demon lurked in the dense leaves.

"Who's there?" Roger bellowed, aiming his spear in the direction of the bush, and peered through the peep hole.

"It's just me, it's Ralph!" Ralph replied, very slowly creeping out from behind the bush, and he saw the two boys staring at him through their painted masks. "What are you doing out here without your chief? Not so brave just the two of you, eh?" he jeered, and Roger scowled a little, tightening his grip on the spear.

"Not like you'd bloody care even if we did tell you," he snarled, and Bill stepped forward gingerly, though his heart was still racing.

"D'you know anything about snake bites?" he asked, and felt Roger jab him roughly in the side.

"We don't need his help," he hissed, and Bill raised his arms in the air exhasperatedly.

"What about snake bites?" Ralph scratched his head, looking from one to the other. "I've read books and stuff on snakes but I've never..."

Roger grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him against the trunk of a nearby palm tree. "I don't trust you," he snarled. "but Jack's been bitten by some sort of snake, and he asked us to run into the jungle and get some vine to tie it up with."

Ralph's body tensed when the words slowly but surely sunk in. Being bitten by a snake was bad enough in decent society, but being bitten in the middle of a jungle without any doctors had a high possibility of being deadly.

"Bring 'im, Roger...even I can tell he's not the beast."

Roger gave Bill a look that sent chills up Ralph's spine, yet his heart rate had slowed considerably since he came in contact with the hunters.

"Oh all right. But I'm still keeping my spear aimed at 'im...as chief says, the beast changes shape all the time, so one minute we could be dealing with Ralph, and the next he'll turn on us."

Ralph grimaced when he felt the spear gently touch his bare shoulder, and he moved forward. The walk, or rather...jog...back to the Castle Rock seemed to take forever. The heat of the day was slowly creeping upon them, even though the sun had not reached maximum height in the sky. Ralph could hear the roar of the waves thundering against the boulders, and felt sick to his stomach. The last time he'd been here was shortly after Piggy's death, and in his mind's eye he could see the body of his friend bobbing like a rubber raft before going out to sea.

The twins were thrilled to see Ralph unharmed as he crawled up towards the caves, but everyone else began screaming at the top of their lungs, bellowing war cries that echoed off of the walls.

"What's he doin' here?"

"Caught the beast! Brilliant! Let's chop off his head!"

"Shut up," Roger snapped. "This isn't the beast. Sit down." he forced Ralph to sit, and ordered Bill to keep the spear pointed at his chest for safety purposes.

Samneric tried to see him once Roger disappeared into the cave, but Bill stopped them from doing so at the point of his spear.

"Can't do anything until the chief gives the word," he explained, and the twins looked worried, but stepped back with reluctant obedience. Ralph hugged his knees to his chest; the would he'd acquired after falling the previous day had finally started to clot, but it stung all the same.

"So here you are. Come crawling back, have you?"

Ralph craned his neck to see Roger and Morris aiding Jack out through the cave entrance, and his eyes moved towards the injured ankle, which had grown a rather ghastly color of purple.

"'Course I haven't come crawling back," Ralph spat. "Your tribe brought me here because they thought I might be able to help."

Jack ordered them to drop him slowly to the ground as standing was taking quite a bit of energy, and he stretched out his bad leg. His body was covered in sweat from the humidity and more than likely the fever that was starting to settle in from the venom.

"You must be joking," Jack gasped once Roger handed the twine to Ralph, stepping back to give him some room. "What do you know about snake bites? Your father's a pilot, not a doctor."

"The first thing I want you to do is to shut up," Ralph ordered, silencing the other boys around him. "Second...is there fresh water around here? The wound has to be cleaned.

"I know where there's a spring, but what are we supposed to fill in order to bring it here?" Henry asked, looking confused, and the twins spoke up.

"Coconut shells..."

"Saw some in the cave before we took guard duty..."

"Go get them then," Jack croaked. "OW!" he exclaimed when Jack touched the bite carefully with his fingertips, and Ralph stared at him.

"Keep your leg elevated so the blood can flow," Ralph explained. "I don't know much about snakes, but my Daddy taught me basic first aid with cuts and things."

Jack's eyes were wide as he attempted to move the leg upwards, all the while gritting his teeth desparately. Ralph shook his head, knowing he wouldn't be able to do much more than basic application of fresh water and the vines; they needed an adult prespective on the situation.

"He does need a doctor," Ralph muttered under his breath, and Roger knelt down, refusing to release his spear.

"And how do you propose we get one? We're stranded here, remember? There hasn't been a ship or a plane passing over us since that one a few days ago."

"I'll think of something," Ralph promised, and Jack snickered.

"Unless you can magically make a boat appear out of thin air, I highly doubt...OW! Are you daft?" he snapped when Ralph attempted to put gentle pressure on the wound with his two fingers.

"Trying to squeeze some of the venim out," Ralph explained.

"Couldn't you suck it?" Morris asked, and Jack gave him a horrified expression.

"Yes, but then you run a risk of it being poison...oh, here come the twins." Ralph accepted the coconut shells of ice cold water, a little amused when they had also brought leaves for wash clothes. He poured the cold water onto the wound slowly, gritting his teeth when Jack gasped in surprise from the sudden exposure. He leaned weakly against the cave wall, unable to sit straight very long.

"Ralph, can I have a sip of that water?" Jack asked, his voice slightly hoarse. "I'm getting so thirsty."

The twins glanced at each other with concern as Ralph offered Jack one of the other coconut shells he hadn't used, and encouraged him to sip it slowly. Roger touched Ralph's arm and encouraged him to step aside for a moment, ordering the twins to keep watch over the chief.

"He's not looking good," Ralph began carefully. "There's only so much I can do to help. I'm not a doctor as he said. Our best choice is to start building the signal fire again and try to get ourselves rescued, or..." he paused. "No, that wouldn't be possible."

"What wouldn't be possible?" Roger asked. "At this point I'm willing to listen to anything. Jack's my...my best friend and he can't die, not here!"

Ralph grimaced a bit at the fear in the younger boy's voice, and it was strange to hear, considering Roger usually killed everything in sight that didn't agree with him.

"We could make a boat, but how would we do that? We don't have nails or hammers or a motor..."

"But we do have bamboo and plenty of vine leaves for twine! Bamboo sinks, doesn't it?" Roger asked, his voice growing excited by the very idea. "How d'you think people back in the really old days built boats? They didn't have nails or motors! And the native tribes to the other islands have boats too, don't they?"

"Well yes, but..." Ralph paused. "They probably bought supplies from passing ships and stuff."

"We haven't been all over this island," Roger continued. "Maybe we'll find supplies burried somewhere in another cave! We don't know for sure we that we're the first people who ever lived here."

The very suggested sounded crazy, and Ralph had to fight to keep from laughing. "Where are you going?" Roger asked when one of the twins hurried past carrying a coconut shell, and the young boy stopped in his tracks to turn around.

"He wants more water," he explained. "said he's still thirsty."

Ralph chewed on his nail and looked up at the now bright but still overcast sky. The idea of building a bamboo boat seemed to be the only thing remotely possible, considering their chance of being rescued anytime soon were slim. If a passing ship hadn't seen the burning island by now, it was more than likely they would be stuck there forever. He suddenly heard a gagging noise and turned to see Jack hunched over and vomiting onto the stone, emptying the remains of the boar meat from the tribe party a day or two before.

"I'll need at least four or five of us to collect the bamboo and the vines to help build the boat," he announced, and Roger looked relieved. "We could make a canoe."

"That's brilliant," Roger breathed. "How soon can we get started?"

One of the twins returned with the coconut shell of water, and offered it to Jack who refused to put anything else into his system. "Sir, you won't do yourself any good if you don't drink," Henry encouraged. "Go on, chief...just a sip or two will do it. If anything to rinse out the taste."

Jack finally snatched the coconut shell away from Henry, taking a small swallow of the water and gasping for breath afterwards. "I'm too hot...I need to be in the cave," he begged, and with the help of Roger and Ralph, they managed to ease him upright.

"Ralph's got an idea," Roger began once they were sitting in the shade, and Jack looked at him with weary eyes.

"What's that, then?" he muttered. "Clap your heels together three times and say you wish you were home? Because that's the only chance I see us having to get off the island."

"Jack, for once will you trust me?" Ralph asked, and Jack leaned his head against the stone, sighing heavily.

"I have no choice now," he groaned, and Ralph nodded with approval. "Try me, then."

Ralph glanced at Roger with a nervous smile before continuing with his plan.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Ralph finished explaining the plan, Jack's eyes had grown to immense proportions.

"I think you've gone officially batty," he exclaimed. "what do you know about building a canoe? We don't have any supplies."

Roger glanced over his shoulder as a few of the littleuns brought collections of fruit for breakfast into the cave. Everyone had specific duties on Castle Rock, and still regarded Ralph with caution until Jack forced them to give him a piece of mango.

"Best take mine as well," he added when Ralph accepted a piece of the fruit. "I'm not hungry."

Ralph sighed, taking a bite of the melon. "Building the canoe is the only chance we have of getting off the island," he said, and Jack turned his head, peering into the darkness. A cool breeze blew through the entrance, sending with it a gentle sea spray.

"As long as all of us work together we'll be able to build a really strong canoe."

"That'll hold twenty of us?" Jack asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No," Ralph replied, "I would go. My Daddy was a commander in the navy, so he taught me a lot about sailing."

Jack straightened up. "I thought your father was a pilot," he said, and Ralph shook his head.

"No. He'd be coming by on a ship if anything."

Jack closed his eyes, exhaustion settling in. He felt hot and cold at the same time; it was now he regretted having gotten rid of his school shirt. Ralph pulled Roger outside once they got Morris to sit with Jack, and the twins were thrilled to discover the plan for building a boat.

"Why haven't we thought of it before?" Eric asked, and Sam folded his arms.

"Because Jack was a tosh pot, that's why," he said, and Roger scowled.

"It's about time something happened to make him see some sense," Sam whispered as Roger began organizing a construction group. Bamboo would be the best backdrop to use for a boat, and they would use their spears and rocks to chop it down.

"Jack won't stop shaking," Morris called through the cave entrance, and Ralph looked up, deciding to remove his shirt--or what remained of it.

"Roger, send them to start getting the supplies..we need long and short bamboo poles."

He watched as they left the shelter, feeling some of his control returning. He and Roger tried their best to make Jack comfortable, continuatlly wetting the wound.

"Why do you care so much?' Ralph finally brought up the question as he and Roger sat at the mouth of the cave while Jack slept on. "You never cared about anyone else on the island. Why are you suddenly so worried about Jack?"

Roger looked at the ceiling, hugging his knees to his chest. He didn't like displaying emotion in public, and fought against it once again.

"He's like my brother," he explained. "myMom died the second year after I started going to boarding school, and I joined the choir. Jack was headboy, and he suggested it, because he heard me singing to myself one day as I was walking by myself in the hall. My Dad was never around, so after Mum passed, I came to live with Jack during the holidays. His parents treated me like their own son." he drug a hand across his nose, and leaned his chin on his knees. "So that's why."

Ralph noded in understanding, chewing on his bottom lip. "Why did you kill Piggy?" he asked, and Roger stared at him, just as Jack began moaning in his sleep, thrashing wildly from nightmares. Roger was on his feet at once, and dashed away from Ralph.

Meanwhile, construction the canoe was moving along slowly on the beach. Bamboo was not too difficult of a plant to work with, and as long as the spears were planed in a certain angle and belted with a rock, it was easy to chop. Ralph went down to oversee the crew every couple of hours, and was proud to see how fast they were building once they got going. The twins were especially eager to get the canoe finished, and worked harder than anyone else on the team.

Jack continued to worsen over the next couple of days, his fever rising at night and dropping ever so slightly during the day.

By the end of that week, the base and the sides had finally been put in rows and lashed together with vines, but storm clouds rolled in on a regular basis, delaying the process.

"Are you sure it's safe to go out on the ocean with the weather being like this?" Henry called over the roar of the wind once they decided to carry the canoe back to Castle Rock and finish it there.

"It won't last forever," Ralph promised. "When the weather clears, we'll do a test run and make sure the boat even floats."

The twins gave each other a horrified look. "Is it possible it won't?" Sam squeaked, and Ralph shrugged.

"That's why we're doing a test," he explained, and they leaned against the wall.

"We thought of something," the twins spoke in unison, and Ralph stared at them. "you need a sail!"

"A sail?" Ralph put his hands on his hips, and cocked his head to the side.

"Sure! To catch the wind and make the canoe go faster. Plus, you can put SOS on it in case a ship sees you!" Bill added, with a big grin on his face. Ever since the construction on the canoe began, the boys began to gravitate towards Ralph again. He wasn't sure how the mentality of the hunters changed so fast, but he wasn't about to question them about it. It was hard to believe they were on the trail to kill him earlier that week.

"That's a good idea," he agreed, "but what'll we use? Most of you are naked, and my shirt's too torn up."

"Palm leaves," the twins replied at once, and before Ralph could say anything further, dashed off to find enough palm leaves once the rain and wind died down.

Luckily once everything was ready for take off, the weather had cleared. The clouds broke leaving the sky a brilliant blue, and the sun was beating down on them again. Ralph hoped he would meet up with a ship or a plane quickly, because Jack was not able to function well at this point. He was so deep into the fever that he barely recognized anyone, and hardly kept any food or drink in his stomach.

"Let's test it out," the rest of the boys cheered once the final bamboo poles on the canoe were fastened together. Ralph offered to have one of the others relieve Roger from guard duty over Jack, but he refused.

"No," he replied firmly, and Ralph raised his hands in the air, before helping the others carry the canoe down to the beach. They were covered with sweat by the time they reached the water, and Ralph wanted to jump in and swim immediately.

Once they had the boat on the sand at the waters edge, he climbed into it. The bamboo was definitely not comfortable, but that didn't matter given the circumstances. He shouted for them to give him a push, and everyone in the group shoved the canoe into the ocean. Ralph let out a cheer as it remained afloat for almost five minutes, driving lightly over the small waves. He eventually hopped out of the boat, and pulled it back to shore. The water felt great, and he dove under for a moment to wet his hair before coming onto the beach. Everyone cheered with delight at the success, raising their spears in the air.

"First thing tomorrow morning I'll shove off," Ralph announced, and the twins nodded.

"Shouldn't one of us go with you? Is it safe to go alone?" they asked, and Ralph smiled at them as they trecked back to Castle Rock.

"It's too dangerous," he replied. "It's safer for one person to go in that boat, especially since it might not be stable enough to hold more than me."

They glanced at each other with uncertainty, but it was best not to argue.

That night everyone sat watching Jack who slept in a feverish haze, his eyes twitching under their lids. Roger finally agreed to be relieved, in order to get some rest, and Ralph took over the post. He was thrilled at the idea of being on a boat again, but he had to make sure he had provisions in case the sailing took longer than expected. He was out of the cave at the crack of dawn collecting coconuts, mangoes, bananas, and whatever else he could find that wouldn't be too heavy for the boat.

When the rest of the boys awoke, they gathered on the beach to see him off for the official rescue. "If this works I'll never hate you again," Roger said; Morris allowed him to go down to the beach while he kept an eye on Jack.

"Thanks?" Ralph said, and Roger shrugged. "All right, everyone, I wanted to thank all of you for helping me with this canoe. Hopefully I'll be back within a day or two, especially if I make it to the shipping lanes."

"Good luck!" everyone shouted as he hopped back into the canoe, and ordered them all to push at once. He felt the boat give a great jerk as the other boys shoved against it, and eventually felt the smootheness of the water take it under its wing. Ralph glanced over his shoulder and waved rapidly, using a pole as an oar.

The twins watched, fascinated, as the boat drifted further and further into the distance, and soon disappeared entirely.

"I hope we know what we're doing," they whispered, noticing how windy it had become.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ralph drifted along the gentle ocean current for hours, and not a single ship or plane in sight. He had a bag of fruit beside him, but was careful not to eat more than a piece at a time. He sighed heavily, leaning his chin in his palm, watching as the sunlight reflected on the water.

The nights were the most difficult for Ralph, because he could hardly see past his nose. It wasn't until the third day of sailing that the clouds began to roll in, and the wind grew stronger. "Damnit," Ralph cursed…he was too far out to turn back, and the last thing he wanted was to be lost at sea. Would he ever see home again?

When the storm hit, Ralph was sure he was going to die. He clung to the raft as it was tossed back and forth amongst the high waves, and he spluttered and choked as water constantly splashed into his face. One particularly large wave overturned the raft, whacking him on the head, and he instantly lost consciousness.

The storm lasted several hours, and on another island about five miles north, a young man strolled down to the lagoon. He was tall and gangly, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a bright red shirt. On his head sat a floppy white hat, and in his hand he carried a fishing pole.

His name was Willie Gilligan, the first mate to the former SS Minow. He whistled cheerfully as he strolled along the beach, one of the only member of the seve stranded castaways who actually enjoyed the small, uncharted island. There were seven adults here, following a ship wreck barely two weeks ago. The Skipper, The Professor, Ginger, Mary Anne, Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell. Gilligan had grown close to these people, and was in no hurry for a rescue ship to come by and take them home.

The storm the previous night had been violent, but their newly constructed hut held fast, keeping everyone safe. The lagoon was flooded from the torrential downpours, but there was enough beach left suitable for a fishing post.

Gilligan sat down on a fallen log, adjusting his hat a little so it didn't cover his eyes. The sun felt warm on his face, and he looked up, startled that the sky had been filled with such monsturous clouds merely hours before.

Barely a half hour passed as he sat with his pole in the water, when he noticed something large and oddly shaped floating in the distance. "Huh, what's that?" He thought aloud to himself, setting his pole in the sand. He waded into the lagoon, being mindful that it could be deeper than before, and reached the object.

"It's a boy!" He exclaimed, after turning the object over. "Skipper…SKIPPER!" He immediately lifted the child's limp form into his arms, and ran as fast as he could back towards the camp.

Skipper Jonas Grumby sat listening to the radio for any exciting news. He found it hard to believe they were here on an uncharted island, and were no closer to being rescued than from the first day. He sighed heavily, shutting the radio off, and removed his hat for a moment. The other castaways were scattered around taking care of their own daily duties, so he was alone for the time being.

"SKIPPER! SKIPPER!"

The Skipper sighed with irritation…of course Gilligan would be back from his fishing trip early, leaving him without any peace.

"What could he possibly want now?" The Skipper spoke, and stood just in time to find his first mate running as fast as he could in his direction. "Gilligan! What in the name of…" He noticed the unconscious boy in the younger man's arms, and immediately encouraged Gilligan to bring him into their hut. "What happened…where did you find him?" He asked, baffled. There had not been sight of another human on this island at all, so to see a boy didn't make sense.

"I found him in the lagoon, Skipper," Gilligan explained, laying the boy down on the hammock. "He was just floating there."

"Did he have a boat or anything with him?" The Skipper asked, wondering if there had been a ship wreck of some kind.

"No, sir," Gilligan admitted. "He was just floating by himself."

"Get the professor," The Skipper ordered, and Gilligan was off like a shot, nearly tripping over his own two feet. The Skipper checked the boy's breathing, and found it to be very faint. He was shocked the boy was breathing at all, considering how long he must have been in the water. The Skipper immediately began performing CPR, pumping his hands against the boy's chest, breathing air through his lips.

The Professor came in behind Gilligan, surprise written all over his face. "Good heavens," He exclaimed. "That poor boy…he's lucky to be alive!"

It took ten minutes before the boy choked up a mouthful of water, coughing and gasping for air. The Professor eased him into a sitting position, waiting patiently until he cleared what he could out of his lungs.

A few moments later the boy opened his eyes, which were a shade of deep blue. He clearly didn't have a clue as to where he was, and peered around, startled when he saw three men standing beside him.

"Are you all right?" The Skipper asked, and the boy gave another cough, wiping his wet hair away from his forehead. He felt dizzy, and as The Professor found after inspecting the child more closely, he discovered a fair bruise on the stranger's forehead.

"I heard there was a boy here…oh dear, is he all right?"

A female's voice broke the din of the men, and the boy lay back down, exhausted from the trauma.

"Mary Ann, Ginger, please…he's just waking up. I don't want all of you in here at once…he's still recovering from shock."

"So he's alive..."

"Yes, but worn out…"

"…nasty bump on the head…"

"…possible concussion…needs rest…"

"Oh let me see him just once, please…"

"… that's enough…everyone out, now."

The Professor urged the rest of the group outside, and stood over the boy, clucking his tongue.

"M' I rescued?" The boy whispered, his voice still weak.

"Rescued? Well, technically speaking," The man replied kindly. "You're on an island. What is your name, son?"

"Ralph…" Ralph was shocked he could even remember his own name at this point, he was so tired. "Island? But…three days…" He blinked, feeling a little nauseous.

"Keep still, son. You've taken quite a knock to the head, and need rest. When you wake up, we'll get into more details as to where you are. Here…" He took a thick blanket, wrapping the boy up in it, and made sure he'd drifted off again before going to report to the others.

"He's asleep," The Professor explained to the others, who sighed with disappointment, Mary Ann and Ginger especially. "So far, I've discovered his name is Ralph, and he's clearly British. Not sure what on Earth he's doing out here, but we'll find all that out later. In the mean time, one of us has to stay with him at all times—he's not quite out of the woods yet."

Mary Ann volunteered, and immediately dashed into the hut. She stared at the child laying on the Skipper's hammock, covered in a blanket. He had a handsome little face, dark hair that was still sopping wet, and pale skin. He was breathing steadily, a hand draped over his chest. She smiled, glad he had survived such a terrible accident. Mary Ann adored children, wanting so desparately to be a mother some day. If only she would find a man to fit the role of husband, but no luck had come to her just yet.

Ralph continued to sleep, occasionally whimpering and moaning, so many visions in his head at once. He could hear a woman's voice humming quietly in the background; had he made it home? Was it his mother…had he dreamt this whole thing? He knew it was impossible, but there were no women on the island. Just the boys, and…his eyes opened suddenly…Jack…now he remembered!

"Jack…" He spoke suddenly. "I promised…"

"Shhhsh, dear, lay down…don't excite yourself," the woman's voice spoke calmly, and Ralph felt hands smoothe his forehead.

"Where is Jack?"

"Who?" Mary Ann cocked an eyebrow, confused.

"Promised I'd save him…"

"Honey, you're delerious…I'll find the Professor, and maybe he can give you something…"

When Ralph got a better look, he saw a young woman with dark hair pulled up into a half ponytail rushing out of the hut. He couldn't see her face, but she was wearing a white dress with blue checkered print. He lay back down again, closing his eyes. He had no idea where he was, or who that woman could possibly be, but at least the place didn't seem dangerous.

"What's wrong…"

"He keeps saying the name Jack, and that he promised to save him," Mary Ann explained.

"Jack…did you get anymore information?" The Professor asked, his eyes narrowed.

"No, Professor. He just kept murmering the name over and over…"

"All right, I'll go in and check on him." The Professor followed Mary Ann back to the Skipper's hut, and found the boy asleep again.

"Oh dear…he was awake just a few minutes ago," Mary Ann sighed.

"I'm sure he's still suffering from post-dramatic stress disorder…happens often after such a traumatic event. He should be all right, though. He's not running any temperature."

"Just the opposite," Mary Ann added.

"Well, if he wakes up again, try to get him to tell you anything he can remember…maybe he'll have a way to get us off of the island."

"Yes, Professor," Mary Ann replied, smiling a litte, and watched as he left the hut.

It took several hours before Ralph gained enough energy to sit up in bed, and realized he was in a hut. It was constructed out of palm leaves, bamboo poles, and twine/rope. He was alone this time, but he could hear people talking in low voices outside.

Carefully, Ralph slipped down from the hammock, nearly falling out after he realized he was not on a bed, and crept towards the hut's door. Through the window, he could see seven adults sitting around a table constructed again of bamboo. They were huddled together, and he could pick out four men and three women. It was dark, which meant he had been asleep for a long time, but the campsite was lit by fire.

Ralph carefully opened the door of the hut, peeping outside.

"Ah, he lives!" one of the older men exclaimed, dressed in a very fine business suit. He appeared to be a man of great wealth, one who clearly flaunted it whenever he could.

Everyone else turned to find the new arrival standing by the hut, and the dark-haired woman immediately got up from her seat.

"Hello, honey," She greeted in a southern accent. "It's all right, you can trust us."

"How are you feeling, son?" The man Ralph recognized from before was younger, in his mid-30's, and wore a cotton shirt and khaki pants.

Ralph glanced around at the others: the remaining women were a blonde and a red head, one in her late 50's, and another in her mid-30's as well. The red head Ralph actually recognized from magazines, and knew her to be a movie star, Ginger Grant. The others, he had not a clue.

"I'm better," He announced, still hesitant to come closer to the table. "Where am I?"

"You're on a deserted island," the tall lanky man with a bright red shirt spoke up. "We've been shipwrecked here."

"Gilligan," The fat man with a sailor's cap and snow white hair spoke in a scolding voice.

"Well, it's true," Gilligan sighed.

"Yes it is," The Professor agreed. "Before we go any further, let me introduce everyone here. I am Professor Roy Hinkley, but you may call me Professor…everyone else does. This is Mr. Howell, his wife Mrs. Howell, Gilligan, The Skipper—Jonas Grumby, Ginger Grant, and Mary Ann Summers. As Gilligan pointed out, we were marooned here about three weeks ago."

"Really?" Ralph asked, startled. "But we haven't seen any adults since we landed here…"

"What?" Mary Ann stared. "Landed where?"

"This is an island, isn't it?" Ralph asked.

"Yes, but we've been the only ones here," Ginger spoke up. "What are you talking about…"

"I was on an island, too," Ralph continued, his memory starting to repair itself. "I remember building a raft and setting sail…one of our group got bit by a snake, and I wanted to find help. But then there was that storm, and last thing I knew I woke up in your hut..."

"For heaven's sake," The Skipper muttered. "He's another castaway, just like us."

"You built a raft?" The Professor asked. "Out of what, exactly?"

"Bamboo logs," Ralph replied, and the Skipper looked at the Professor, his expression smug.

"That's funny, Skipper," Gilligan began. "We did the same thing before a storm hit and blew us off course."

"How many were there besides you, son?" The Professor asked, encouraging Ralph to sit with them. He did just that, feeling a little self-conscious due to his lack of clothing.

Ralph thought for a moment—he'd never actually taken a head count, which he could have kicked himself for. "I think…at least twenty," He replied, and The Skipper stood up.

"All children or are there adults, too?" He asked, and Ralph shook his head.

"No grown-ups," He replied, and the Professor looked startled.

"Twenty of you—where did you come from?" He asked, and Ralph launched into an explination of how they had been evacuated from their British boarding school, but the plane they were in crashed in the middle of the ocean.

"I'd assume you had an adult pilot, though?" The Skipper asked. "What happened to him?"

Ralph frowned…he honestly didn't know. "Well, honestly, before we go any further…the poor boy needs some clothes," Mrs. Howell announced. "I don't have any for his size, but I'm sure we could find something."

Mary Ann nodded, and gently led Ralph to one of the other huts, where Mrs. Howell picked out one of her husband's button down shirts. It was large enough to cover most of his body, like a nightgown. The sleeves were a bit long, but that was all right…he was comfortable. "I could cut up a pair of Mr. Howell's pants and make them into shorts for you," Mary Ann suggested.

"Why d'you have so many clothes if you were only on a three hour tour?" Ralph asked, shocked by the amount of suitcases in the Howell hut, and Mrs. Howell smiled at him.

"Thurston is paranoid about leaving any of our valuables behind," She explained. "We're always prepared for the worst, and in this case, how much worse could it get?"

Ralph glanced at Mary Ann…it could certainly be a lot worse, but Mrs. Howell did have a point.

"I wish we'd thought like that," He admitted, "but most of us lost our things in the plane wreck, and didn't have much to begin with." He followed them back outside, and sat down at the long table.

"Are we going to be able to go back and rescue my friends?" Ralph asked the Skipper, concerned. "My bamboo boat worked well enough until the storm hit, and then I had no chance." Ralph hated to think of it, but he had a bad feeling that Jack might not be alive when they returned to the other island. Everyone was probably thinking him dead by this point, considering how violent the storm had been, but he was determined to prove them that he could be a good leader.

"Even if we were able to construct another boat, it would be impossible to rescue all twenty of them at once," the Professor replied. "We would have to take multiple trips."

"They are better off here with us, Professor," the Skipper admitted. "Young boys his age living on their own doesn't sit too well with me."

Ralph didn't dare mention that two of their lot had already been murdered.

"Understood, Skipper," the Professor agreed. "I'm just hoping that if we do make another boat, we'd be spotted by a passing ship and be able to get to both islands in due time."

Ralph glanced at Gilligan, who merely winked at him, and Mary Ann soon announced that their supper was ready. It smelled delicious—freshly caught fish and fruit were typical meals, though Ralph found his mouth watering for boar meat.

"Here you are, honey," Mary Ann encouraged, tipping a generous portion of fish onto his plate, and Ralph thanked her.

"We'll start working on a new boat first thing in the morning," the Professor announced. "You'll have to show us how you did it."

"Yes," Ralph agreed, nodding his head, wondering why they hadn't thought to build a boat after all of this time. He decided it was better not to ask, and continued eating his supper.


End file.
